David Weil has been the proud author of the “Ask a Maritime Attorney” column in The Southern California Log Newspaper and Sea Magazine since 2006, with over 300 installments of the column. We have provided links in this section to those articles, covering a wide range of topics of interest to the California maritime and boating communities.

Title Choices Have Boater Stumped

April 18, 2007
I am in the process of buying a used motoryacht. The boat is currently registered in California, but my broker has suggested that I convert the title to Coast Guard documentation. Can you shed some light on the pros and cons...

The Cost of Exclusivity

April 5, 2007
I signed a listing agreement with a yacht broker last month for the sale of my boat, but now a friend of mine is interested in buying it. The broker says that I will owe him a commission, even if I sell the boat on my own to...

Distinguishing Authority

February 22, 2007
I participated in a vessel safety check conducted by the Coast Guard Auxiliary. The men who conducted the inspection were very professional. I was surprised by their uniforms, which appeared to be the same as those that are...

Warranty Woes

January 25, 2007
I purchased a new boat last year and have had nothing but problems since the first day. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. The dealer continues to fix the problems under the warranty, but a new issue seems to surface...